According to recently demoted righthander Michael Schwimer, the team has promoted three players from triple-A Lehigh Valley. The trio, according to Schwimer's Twitter account, includes pitchers Raul Valdes and Jake Diekman and infielder Hector Luna.

Schwimer: Diekman, Valdes and Luna joining Phillies

Jake Diekman has been promoted to the Phillies, according to reliever Michael Schwimer. (Matt Slocum/AP Photo)

Bob Brookover, Inquirer Columnist

Posted:
Thursday, May 10, 2012, 3:50 PM

According to recently demoted righthander Michael Schwimer, the team has promoted three players from triple-A Lehigh Valley. The trio, according to Schwimer's Twitter account, includes pitchers Raul Valdes and Jake Diekman and infielder Hector Luna.

A Phillies spokesman said the team will not confirm those moves. The team is off and returns to play Friday night against the San Diego Padres at Citizens Bank Park.

As bad as the bullpen has been -- and it has been awful -- these are not moves made entirely because of failure.

Diekman, 1-0 with five saves, a 0.59 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings for the Iron Pigs, was likely going to be promoted regardless of circumstances because lefthander Joe Savery was optioned to Lehigh Valley after the Phillies' 10-6 loss to the New York Mets Wednesday night. Diekman, also a lefty, was the most impressive young Phillies pitcher during spring training and you knew when the team broke camp that it was only a matter of time before he'd be in the big leagues.

The 34-year-old Valdes will give the Philllies a third lefthander out of the bullpen, but his promotion is likely to replace righthander Chad Qualls, who was unavailabe to pitch Wednesday. Valdes, who has a career 3-4 record with one save and a 4.58 ERA in 51 big-league appearances, was 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA at Lehigh Valley. He had struck out 26 batters in 21 innings.

Luna, 32, is likely joining the Phillies because Laynce Nix is headed for the disabled list. Nix aggravated a calf injury after contributing a pinch-hit RBI single Wednesday night. Luna, after a strong showing in spring training, was hitting .274 with 10 extra-base hits and 12 RBIs at Lehigh Valley. He hit .324 in his last 10 games and was in the midst of a six-game hitting streak.

We'll give you more details if and when the Phillies make the news official.